When it comes to affairs, we probably assume relationships like this are all the same. After all, cheating is cheating, right? Well, not always. In some cases, cheating can involve a number of factors that change the dynamic of the relationship. In fact, here’s a list of the most common affair types and how they differ from one another…
Affair Types: How Cheating Relationships Differ
The Double-Life Affair
Certainly not one of the most common affair types, this form of cheating causes the cheater to live two, separate lives. On one hand, the cheater may have a happy family life, complete with a long-term spouse. But while living this life, they may have another serious relationship or even family. In that case, neither partner knows of one another and the cheater manages to split time between the two. This type of affair can cause some of the most damaging effects because it require so much long-lasting deceit.
The Emotional Affair
When considering affair types, most people assume that all cheating must be physical. But the emotional affair is a fairly common form of cheating and it doesn’t have to include a physical relationship. With emotional affairs, the relationship becomes more about forming a bond, sharing intimate thoughts, and relying on one another to meet each other’s needs emotionally. Even when nothing physical takes place, this can still be just as harmful as a physical affair. Because this relationship relies on emotional bonds, it often causes a level of intimacy that is only appropriate for married couples.
The Exit Affair
With this affair type, the cheater views their marriage as dead and tries to find happiness in a new partner. In some cases, both partners may know the marriage has run it’s course but aren’t ready to face divorce yet. So a cheater may look to an affair to run away from the crumbling marriage or as an excuse to get out. Either way, when dealing with affair types like this, there’s little to no hope of avoiding divorce. For the most part, cheating serves as the catalyst that causes couples to finally seek to end things.